Several years ago, just after I retired, an ex-colleague asked if I would help a University Professor out with a project. The Prof wanted to research the effects of gardening on mental health, both for young and older people. I was the first of the guinea pigs for the pre-project questionnaire. We looked around my garden - at the time, I am pleased to say it was looking pretty good on a perfect summer's day - and then settled down with coffee to do the interview. Part of the interview was a 'word association' game...and I was instructed to ensure I answered immediately to each word put to me. After about 5 minutes, she stated 'garden'. My reply surprised us both: "catharsis". I had often thought that gardens bring calm to a frenetic life but they are so much more.
I resurrected my old post on BBC gardening board thread from May 2007 because nine years have passed and so so much has changed but my garden still grounds me.
"For me my garden is: Rosy cheeks and black fingernails, delicious scents and manure, wildlife sanctuary and slugs, fitness and joint ointment, tranqil peace and machinery, high hopes and bitter disappointments, glorius sunshine and hosepipe ban, morning dew and winter deluges, dappled shade and frost pockets. It is all life in a fenced, hedged and walled nutshell because anything of true value has to cost you blood, sweat or tears. I adore my garden because I love being alive and nurturing life."
My garden makes me appreciate the little things in life. I love watching the seasons change, and I chose plants that look good at different times of year so there's always something to look forward to. At this time of year it looks different almost every day.
OH laughs at me for looking at it every day, but there's nothing better than getting pleasure from something as simple as a tree coming into leaf, the first daffodils of spring, a clematis flowering or the leaves changing colour for autumn.
My garden means the world to me. It has helped me deal with loss and grief.
To nurture the plants and see them grow from seedlings to beautiful flowers is so rewarding. To watch the wildlife enjoy the garden in this very busy and in some cases mad world is so important.
And to share the love of our gardens with other people who feel the same is so humbling.
My garden was my life-line during a serious illness a few years ago and will be so again this year following the death of my lovely Mum 7 weeks ago. Working in the back gives me hours of peace but pottering in the front rewards me with the companionship of passers-by and neighbours.
My garden is special as it once belonged to my late mum who would spend hours gardening, her ashes are scattered here next to a rose she bought me. It's now enjoyed by my partner and children who love to climb a plum tree she planted 25 years ago as a small sapling. It's a place we all enjoy and where I can fondly remember her
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My garden is my Tranquillity, my Soul Mate, my piece of Eden.
My garden is a place where time stands still. Where all my hard work in late October and early March bears that labour
It's a place where I never feel under pressure where working is a pleasure
I just love my garden and love gardening
Several years ago, just after I retired, an ex-colleague asked if I would help a University Professor out with a project. The Prof wanted to research the effects of gardening on mental health, both for young and older people. I was the first of the guinea pigs for the pre-project questionnaire. We looked around my garden - at the time, I am pleased to say it was looking pretty good on a perfect summer's day - and then settled down with coffee to do the interview. Part of the interview was a 'word association' game...and I was instructed to ensure I answered immediately to each word put to me. After about 5 minutes, she stated 'garden'. My reply surprised us both: "catharsis". I had often thought that gardens bring calm to a frenetic life but they are so much more.
I resurrected my old post on BBC gardening board thread from May 2007 because nine years have passed and so so much has changed but my garden still grounds me.
"For me my garden is:
Rosy cheeks and black fingernails, delicious scents and manure, wildlife sanctuary and slugs, fitness and joint ointment, tranqil peace and machinery, high hopes and bitter disappointments, glorius sunshine and hosepipe ban, morning dew and winter deluges, dappled shade and frost pockets. It is all life in a fenced, hedged and walled nutshell because anything of true value has to cost you blood, sweat or tears. I adore my garden because I love being alive and nurturing life."
Yes, a haven - a place of solitude where you can just chill out after a hard days work.
My garden makes me appreciate the little things in life. I love watching the seasons change, and I chose plants that look good at different times of year so there's always something to look forward to. At this time of year it looks different almost every day.
OH laughs at me for looking at it every day, but there's nothing better than getting pleasure from something as simple as a tree coming into leaf, the first daffodils of spring, a clematis flowering or the leaves changing colour for autumn.
My garden means the world to me. It has helped me deal with loss and grief.
To nurture the plants and see them grow from seedlings to beautiful flowers is so rewarding. To watch the wildlife enjoy the garden in this very busy and in some cases mad world is so important.
And to share the love of our gardens with other people who feel the same is so humbling.
Happy Gardening each and everyone of you.
gardening to me means lots of hard work, but like many things in life the more effort you put in the greater the rewards
My Mum has always loved her gardening and as I now enjoy gardening it brings me closer to her also.
My garden was my life-line during a serious illness a few years ago and will be so again this year following the death of my lovely Mum 7 weeks ago. Working in the back gives me hours of peace but pottering in the front rewards me with the companionship of passers-by and neighbours.
My garden is special as it once belonged to my late mum who would spend hours gardening, her ashes are scattered here next to a rose she bought me. It's now enjoyed by my partner and children who love to climb a plum tree she planted 25 years ago as a small sapling. It's a place we all enjoy and where I can fondly remember her